Timbers with a risk of wetting are often exposed to infestation with moulds, blue staining fungi, or wood destroying fungi. To prevent their surface growth, the wood is traditionally treated with chemical pesticides, commonly called "antisapstain products". The efficacy of these products depends upon their direct toxicity and their ability to create an unfriendly environment that can discourage fungal growth.
In the past, a large volume of chlorophenol compounds were used in order to protect wood from attacks by various pests. Concerns about acute toxicity, occupational impacts, and the presence of hazardous impurities, including dioxins and furans, in chlorophenols are among the reasons for the dissatisfaction with their use. In recent years, there has been a demand for wood preservatives that do not contain chemicals suspected of environmental and human safety problems. However, no system developed so far is believed to be ideal (Byrne, 1992).
The information based on the number of research papers (Byrne, 1992; Konasewich et al., 1994) suggest that didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride was the most effective of the alkilammonium compounds against several wood-destroying fungi, and has been also used against mould and sapstain during storage and transit (anti-sapstain control). Investigating N-substituted isothiasolones for the control of wood destroying fungi shows that they effectively control a wide variety of microorganisms at low levels of active ingredient.
This invention is directed to synergistic compositions of didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride and isothiazolones that are capable of broadening the spectrum of biocidal activities by overcoming the disadvantages caused by actions of micro organisms which may degrade alkilammonium compounds.